Refrigerating apparatus



July 12, 1938.

c. LUNEKE 2,123,588 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 44x s '44 v EL Taf? \/4f .f/ z/ 2/ f l l (40 (ui)l d f,

f//s AT'roRNEYs.

July l2, 1938.

L. C. LUNEKE REFBIGERATING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /5 INVENTOR,

aa/s C: L aMeA/f.

/Ewfugmw is ATTORNEYS,

,Patented July 12, 1938 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Louis c. Luneke, Dayton/ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application May 15, 1936, Serial No. 79,983 claims.' (Cl. 22o-55) 'This invention relates to cabinets and particularly to insulated refrigerator cabinets.

At present refrigerator cabinets having a refrigerating system mounted therein are shipped 5 from a factory to various localities for installation in crates or the like to prevent damage to the refrigerating apparatus. It is custbmary to place the refrigerator cabinet within a crate with the top and bottom of -the cabinet'rigidly secured to the crate to prevent movement of the cabinet relative to the crate during shipment thereof. In order to rigidly secure or clamp the cabinet within a crate the exterior nished metal top wall of 'K the cabinet is omitted from the structure placed 1-5 in the crate and is shipped separately therefrom. This separate shipping of the cabinet finished top 1 wall permits the top portion as well as the leg or bottom portion of the cabinet to be rigidly anchoredto the interior of a crate in any suitable or desirable manner. However, this shipping of the cabinet exterior finished metal top wall presents the problem of providing some means for readily attaching the top wall to the cabinet during installation of thev refrigerating apparatus and my invention therefore particularly relates to the provision of a refrigerator cabinet exterior nished top wall that can be removably attached to a refrigerator cabinet without damaging same and without lmpairing its neat exterior nish or obstructing the general contour of the cabinet exterior walls. y

A`n object of my invention is to provide an improved refrigerator cabinet construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet withv an 'exterior finished top wall that can be removably attached to the cabinet to provide access beneath same for any desirable purpose.

A further object of my invention is to provide 40 a refrigerator cabinet with an exterior finished top wall that is removably attached to the cabinet by improved clamping or attaching means which are concealed from view and do not obstruct the exteriorcontour of the cabinet. In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a still further-object of my invention to provide means permitting access to the improved and concealed cabinet exterior top wall clamping or attaching means so as to permit detachment of the cabinet top wall when desired and whichaccess means does not impair the neat appearance of the cabinet.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following deing drawings, wherein a preferred formof the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet having my invention embodied 6 therein;

Fig. 2` is a side elevational View of the refrigerator cabinet disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the rear top portion of the cabinet disclosed in Figs. 10 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View of a front portion of the refrigerator cabinet showing one of the concealed cabinet top wall attaching means and is taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a rear portion of the refrigerator cabinet showing another of the `concealed cabinet top wall attaching means and is taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4 showing the front of the cabinet top wall attaching means; and

Fig. 'l is -a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 5 showing the cabinet top wall attaching means at the rear of the` cabinet in released posi- 8l tion.

Referring to the drawingsl'for illustrating the present invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 thereof a refrigerator cabinet of the household type generally represented by the reference character 30 I0. Cabinet Ill may be of the usual or conventional construction including insulated walls II (see Figs. 4 and 5) surrounding a liner I2 which forms a. food storage compartment I3 therein and which walls II are enclosed in a plurality of $5 metal panels or a metallic shell I4 that form th exterior walls of the cabinet. The panels or shel I4 are coated with porcelain enamel or the like to provide a highly-finished exterior for cabinet I0. The food storage compartment I3 is provided 40 with access opening I5 (see Fig. 4) at the front of cabinet I0 which opening is closed by a door I6. A sheet metal sub-top I8 is disposed over the insulation II at the top of cabinet I0. lThis sub-top I8 may have studs .or bolts (not shown) 45 of any suitable construction or form secured thereto and which may serve as attaching means to secure the top portion of cabinet I0 rigidly within a crate or the like duringhipment of the refrigerator cabinet. The cabinet sub-top I8 is 50 of an inverted pan-shapeand has anoutwardly and upwardly extending periphery flange I9. Th'e upstanding portion of ange I9, on the cabinet sub-top I8, abuts the upper end of the metal lpanels or shell I4 of cabinet I0 and is adapted to M be secured thereto. A pair of decorative trim strips or bands, generally indicated at 2|, of any suitable material, preferably Monel metal or stainless steel, each extending from one side of the front of cabinet I0 around the front corner thereof and along the cabinet side wall and thence around thecabinet rear corner to a point at one side of the cabinet back wall. These trim strips or bands 2I have a reverse bend portion 22 which provides a groove receiving and fitting over the top edge of shell I4 and the upstanding periphery portion of flange I9 on pan I8. Any suitable number of bolts or the like 23 may extend through the trim strips 2i, top edge portion of shell I4 and through the peripheral upstanding portion of flange I9 on pan I8 to firmly secure the cabinet lsub-top I8 -to shell I4. In the present disclosure only four such bolts 23 are shown because the four bolts 23 have been found to be sufficient to rigidly secure the cabinet sub-top I8 to .the cabinet outer walls or shell I4 and because the design of the trim strips disclosed are such that they cannot get out of aligned position when the cabinet exterior nished metal top to be hereinafter more fully described is assembled onto the cabinet.

It will be noted that the bolts 23 at the front of cabinet I8, which secur the cabinet sub-top I8 to shell I4, also clamp a vertically extending portion 26 of spring 21 between the bolts and the trim strip 2I. There are two of the clips 21 at the front cabinet I0 one' of which is located on each side of the cabinet front wall. Spring clips 21 include the vertically extending securing portion 26, a curled-over portion 28 and a downwardly directed portion 29 having a turned over end 3l. It will be noted that the bolts 23 at the rear of the cabinet I0, which secure the cabinet sub-top I8 to shell I4, 'also clamp the vertically extending portion 33 of spring clips, generally represented by the reference'character 34, between the bolts and the trim strip 2|. 'I'here are two of the clips 34 at the rear of cabinet I0 onelocated on each side of the cabinet rear wall. Spring clips 34 include the vertically extending securing portion 33, a curled-over portion 35 and an upstanding portion 36. A part of the clips 34 located intermediate the portions 35 and 36 thereof are bent to provide a shoulder 31 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Both sets of clips 21 and 34 are preferably formed of spring etal and these clips normally apply pressure in the direction of their mounting upon cabinet III.

A cabinet top or hood 40 formed of metal having a Ahighly finished coating of porcelainenamel or the like thereon to match the finish provided on the cabinet side walls I4- is adapted to be secured to the cabinet I. This finished cabinet top is provided with downwardly extending side walls 4I which have their lower edge bent inwardly to provide the flange 42 around the bottom thereof. Itwill be noted that the top 40 has an outwardly bulged part 43 at the front thereof and this part 43 of top wall 40 is of the same contour as the outer face of the cabinet door I6 and is in the same vertical alignment therewith. The bulgedpart 43 of top 40 extends across the major portion of the cabinet front but terminates short of the cabinet front corners so as tovcorrespond with the width of door I6. The bulged part 43 of top 40 is bent backwardly as at 44 (see Figs. 1 and 6) toward the cabinet front wall. The flange 42 along the lower edge of the top 40 extends entirely around the top including the front bulged portion 43 thereof. This flange 42 extends or is bent down asat 45 through a cut-away part 46 of the trim strips 2| (see Figs. 4 and 6) beyond the lower extremity thereof which extends around the side and back wall of the top 40. It will be seen that the bulged out part 43 of the cabinet top 40 extends downwardly of the main body portion thereof to a point closely adjacent the top edge of the door I6 to conceal the clips 21 at the front of cabinet I 0. The cabinet top 40 is provided with the cut-away portion 41 (see Fig. 3) in its rear wall 4I for the passage therethrough of refrigerant pipe lines or electrical cords. (not shown). These refrigerant pipes may lead to an evaporator of a refrigerating system disposed within the food compartment I3 of cabinet I0 and the electrical cords may lead through the opening 41 vto suitable control switches mounted beneath the top 40. It will be noted that the spring clips 21 at the front of cabinet' I0 are provided with an opening 48 (see Fig. 6) in the downwardly directed part 29 thereof and that these openings 48 permit access to the screw head parts of-bolts 23 of a screw-driver or the like for tightening the bolts at the front of the cabinet. There is also an opening 49 (see Figs. 3, 5 and 7) provided near the back wall 4I of top 40 adjacent each back spring clip 34 and this opening 49 is for the purpose of permitting any suitable tool such as a rod or the like 5I l (see Fig. 7).*to be extended through the back wall 4I of top 40 into engagement with the spring clips 34 as will be presently described.

Having described and illustrated theconstruction of the improved cabinet I0 I will now proceed to describe the assembly of top 40 onto the cabinet and the detachment therefrom. Assuming that the cabinet I0 has been installed in a home or the like the finished top 40 thereof, which has been shipped separately of the cabinet, is now ready to be placed upon and secured to the cabinet. 'Ihe top 40 is placed upon and extends over the front portion of cabinet I0 in a tilted position; that is, the front portion of top 40 is permitted to rest upon the front of cabinet I I! while the back portion thereof is held by the hands of the operator above the cabinet to permit the front part of top 40 to be slid under the ends 3| of front clips 21. After the flange 42 has been located under the clips 21 the front portion of top 40 is raised and moved rearwardly of cabinet III so that the wall 4I adjacent the outwardly bulged wall 44 can be placed behind the trim strip 2I at the front of cabinet I0. The inner upstanding front edge portion of flange 42 will ride past the curledover end 3| of the front spring clips 21 and the top 40 will engage the front wall of cabinet I0. This raising of the front of top 40 to position the front wall 4I thereof behind strip 2I along the front wall of cabinet I0 elevates'the end 3| of clips 21 but the clips assume their normal position shown in the drawings when the front of top 40 at the front thereof to hold the top in position and to prevent movement thereof relative to cabinet i along the cabinet front wall. The shoulder 31l provided on the rear spring clips 34 ts' over the edge of ange 42 and locks the top upon the cabinet at the rear thereof. The underside of flange 42 provided on top 40 rests upon an inwardly directed part of trim strips 2| and conceals the spring clips 21 and 34 from view.

To detach the finished top 40 from cabinet I0 the tools or rods 5I are pushed through the openings 49 at the rear of cabinet I0 into engagement with the spring clips 34. Force applied to the tools or rods 5I moves spring clipsv34 into the position disclosed in Fig. 7 of the drawings to release shoulders 31 from fiange 42 formed around the bottom of the side walls 4I of top 40. The top 40 can now be elevated away from or out of engagement with the clips 34 at the rear of the cabinet. The front portion of top 40 is then raised, while holding the rear portion thereof upwardly of cabinet lll, to release the front wall of the top from behind the trim strip 2|. Top 40 is then slid forwardly of cabinet Il] until the raised inner edge of flange 42, which is provided only along the front of top 40, passes under the ends 3i of the front clips 21. Top 40 is now released from its associated securing clips or clamps and can be removed from the cabinet. Removal of top 40 from cabinet i0 permits access to refrigerant pipes or valves and electric switches which as hereinbefore stated may be mounted beneath the top 40 and above the cabinet subtop I8.

, From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved. refrigerator cabinet construction in which the finished exteriortop wall thereof is removably secured to the cabinet by clamping means that are concealed from view by the removable or detachable cabinet top wall. The finished top wall is thereby rigidly secured to the cabinet to prevent vibration thereof. The

removable top wall by concealing the means which i secures same to the cabinet greatly improves the appearance of the cabinet and permits the top finished wall to be formed in any desired shape to conform to the outlineof the cabinet. The improved securing means disclosed permits the exterior cabinet side walls and its top wall to be coated with any desirable material without dan-4 ger of damaging the nish thereon when removing the top wall from the cabinet or when placing same thereon.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred forni, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerator cabinet having vnished metal side walls and a finished metal top wall, a decorative metal strip fitted over the top edge of said cabinet side walls and extending therealong, means for securing said strip to said cabinet side walls, said top wall having downwardly directed sides resting upon said decorative strip, a plurality of spring clips attached -to said cabinet walls by said strip securing lmeans and adapted to engage a part of the downwardly directed sides of said top to secure the top to said cabinet, said spring clips being located inwardly of the walls of said cabinet and concealed thereby, and one of said cabinet walls having an opening therein providing access to certain of said spring clips from the exterior of said cabinet for disenasing the clips from said top wall to permit removal of said top wall from the cabinet.

2. A refrigerator cabinet having finished metal side walls and a nished metal top wall, a decorative metal strip fitted over the top edge of said cabinet side walls and extending therealong, means for securing said strip to said cabinet side walls, said top wall having downwardly directed sides resting upon said decorative strip, a plurality of spring clips attached to said cabinet walls by said strip securing means and adapted to engage cabinet and concealedthereby, and said top wall having an opening Iin the back downwardly directed wall thereof providing access to a spring clip from the exterior of said cabinet for disengaging the clip from said top wall to permit removal of said top wall from the cabinet.

3. A refrigerator cabinet having finished metal side walls and a nished metaltop wall, a decorative metal strip fitted over the top edge of said cabinet side walls and extending therealong, means for securing said strip to said cabinet side walls, said means including a pair of spring clips at the front of said cabinet and a second pair of spring clips at the rear of the cabinet, said top wall having downwardly directed sides and inwardly directed, ange portions resting upon said decorative strip, said spring clips engaging the inwardly directed flange portions on said top to secure saidtop to said cabinet, said spring clips being'located inwardly of the walls of said cabinet and concealed thereby, and said cabinet top having a pair of openings in the back wall thereof adjacent said pair of vspringclipsat the rear of the cabinet providing access to said rear,

rected continuations of the cabinet side walls, the y lowermost portion of the downwardly directed sides of said top wall memberterminating with inwardly directed ange means adapted to rest upon the tops of the cabinet side walls, a spring clip attached to one of said cabinet side walls and having its free movable end extending above the lowermost portion of the downwardly di'- rected sides of said top wall member vand adapted to t over and engage the inwardly directed ange wardly directed sides of said top wall member having av small opening therein adjacent said free movable end of said spring clip providing access thereto, and said end of said spring clip being movable from the exterior of said cabinet for disengaging said clip from said flange on said top wall member to permit removal of the top from the cabinet.

5. A refrigerator cabinet having nished metal side walls and a flnished metal top wall member, said top wall member having downwardly directed sides registering with and supported upon the tops of said cabinet side walls to form upwardly directed continuations thereof, the downwardly directed sides of said top wall member terminating with inwardly directed flange means, means means on said top member, said spring clip being located inwardly of the nished walls of said `cabinet and concealed thereby, one of the downfor securing said top wall member to said cabinet, said means including a pair of spring clips atthe front of said cabinet; and a second pair of springs at the rear of said cabinet, said spring clips engaging the inwardly directed flange means on said top wall member, and being located inwardly of the walls of said cabinet and concealed thereby. and said back wall of said cabinet having a. pair of small openings therein adjacent said second pair of spring clips providing access thereto, and said second pair of spring clips being movable from the exterior of said cabinet for disengaging said rear spring clips from said ange on said top wall member to permit removal of the top. wall from the cabinet.

LOUIS C. LUNEKE. 

